Vibratory massaging foot machine



Patented Jan. 13, 1942 UNITED STATES PATENTOFFICE 2,269,707 VIBRATORY MASSAGING FOOT MACHINE Oscar T. Bufi'alow, Chattanooga, Tenn.

Application July 11, 1938, Serial No. 218,565

Claims.

My invention relates to vibratory massagers and more particularly to vibratory manipulating massagers of the type employing resilient rollers for treating the feet.

In the prior art of massagers and especially those employing a vibrating arm for treating the body and the feet, it ha been the practice to employ an applicator having a spherical or curved body engaging surface rigidly secured to the vibratory arm. Such constructions are disclosed in Pyles 1,998,522; Whitney 733,784; Owens 752,252; and Ryberg 2,002,586. The applicators, in their operation, must be applied to one spot on the body or foot, then removed and applied to another, and so on. These applicators create friction and grab and pull the skin, tend to bruise and irritate the flesh, grip the tissues and are both uncomfortable and slow in their operation. The use of any degree of pressure on th applicator is very disagreeable.

Applicant in his co-pending application, Serial No. 111,069, has taught the use of an arm, which is mounted to vibrate in a single plane and which carries with it applicators mounted thereon, adjacent one end. The central applicator permits universal movement while the outer applicators are pivoted with their axes of rotation lying in the plane of vibration of the arm. Such a machine is adapted for use on all parts of the body, but when used upon the feet it must be secured to a stand or other supporting structure or used by an operator on the patients feet.

It is also recognized that such patents as Bollin 1,234,860, Hopkins 407,071, Carlson 1,776,806, and others show applicators in the form of rollers, which simply roll out congestion. However, such rolling action produces no appreciable amount of manipulation of the tissues, nor any combined vibration and manipulation.

Applicant with a knowledge of all of these objections to and defects in the prior art has for an object of his invention a provision of a foot machine having an arm for vibration in a single plane, rollers mounted on the vibrating arm adjacent its end and having therein axes lying in the plane of vibration of the car, in order that they may freely travel over the body or foot and impart to the tissues with which it comes into contact a manipulating movement whereby the congestion and inflammation may be removed and circulation stimulated without gripping, pulling or bruising the flesh, and whereby rolling action is also imparted to permit the applicators foot, treating every portion completely and for rolling out congestion.

Applicant has as another object of his invention the provision of a combination applicator consisting of three resilient balls of oblate spheroid shape pivoted to a vibrating arm with their pivots in the plane of vibration of th arm, the central ball of the three may be larger or smaller than the others to accentuate or reduce it effect by producing greater or less compression.

Applicant has still another further object of his invention the provision of a foot machine employing a heavy casing with a motor therein for actuating a vibrating arm, carrying roller applicators adjacent its end so that a foot may be applied to such applicator without moving the casing from its position and so that massaging may be readily accomplished without the assistance of an operator.

Other objects and advantages of my invention will appear in the following specification and the accompanying drawing, and the novel features thereof will be particularly pointed out in the annexed claims.

In the drawing Figure 1 is a side elevation of my improved foot machine. Figure 2 is a detailed sectional view of the eccentric employed to actuate the vibrating arm. Figure 3 is a front elevation of the same machine. Figure 4 is a detailed section view of one end of the applicator showing the position of the balls.

Referring to th drawing in detail, the motor for driving the vibratory arm, together with the 7 heavy base structure therefor is indicated at one (I), which motor is controlled by a switch I 4 enclosed in a housing 20. About the motor, one (I) may be secured a protective casing indicated in broken lines l3. This case also serves as a means for concealing the motor from view. Secured to the bottom of the base of the motor I adjacent each of the corners are feet or supports l2. Leading into the motor for the purpose of supplying the electrical power is a cord or cable l5.

Extending upwardly from the motor frame I for the purpose of lifting it is a handle portion 1 in the form of a longitudinal bar. Extending through the parts of the frame of the motor I are screws I0, which retain the ends 2| in close engagement with the motor shell. Disposed within the motor frame I and carried by an appropriate shaft 9 is an armature of conventional construction. Mounted on the forward end of to conform to the variations in contour of the the shaft 9 is a collar 8 secured thereto by means of a set screw [6. Said collar has an off-set projection l9, upon which is mounted a two-part roller I! having a ball race separating such parts and walls for retaining the balls IS in such race. The outer part of the roller is free to mov with respect to the projection 19.

Projecting forwardly from th front of the motor casing I and protecting the vibrating arm and roller I! is an arcuate portion for shielding the arm from external objects.

Rotably seated inthe forward end of the handle I and projecting forwardly therefrom is a pivot for seating in an intermediate portion of the vibrating arm 4. The upper end of the arm is formed into a series of forks 23 through which passes a rod I i that serves as a common axis for a series of rollers of oblate spherical configuration. The forward end of the rod H is screw threaded into one of the outer fork elements Z3 and has a head which engages the other outer fork element. The resilient balls three (3) may be made of sponge rubber or other appropriate material and are mounted on hard rubber bushings, which receive the rod 1 I. These bushings withstand the wear due to friction created by the application of balls 3 to the body or other surfaces and are sufficiently large in diameter to freely rotate on the rod ll, also holds surface of applicators away from axis preventing forks from gouging patient. The lower end of the pivoted arm 4 is formed into a large distorted oblong ring, which is adapted to receive the roller H in a sufficiently loose manner to permit it to traverse the inner surface thereof.

In its operations switch l4 closes the circuit 1 leading the current to motor I through conductors l5 causing it to rotate in its usual manner. Rotation of shaft 9 carries with it collar 8 and lug or projection l9 causing the axis of roller H to follow the same path causing the outer surface of th roller l l to ride over the inner surface of the distorted ring 22 and carrying pivoted arm 4 back and forth across the axis of shaft 9 imparting a manipulating and vibrating movement to the rollers. The applicators 3 on the end of the vibrating arm 4 are moved into contact with the foot of the patient with any desired pressure. In their operation the rollers due to their resiliency absorb part of the movement of the arm and manipulate the tissues but do not irritate the skin and produce no uncomfortable feeling.

It is not necessary to remove the applicator balls from contact with the foot or body each time new portions are treated but they are simply rolled over the body and in continuous contact with it and under the same pressure, reducing the time and effort in performing the operation.

The rolling effect and the use of the resilient applicators for movement in a plane opposite to that of the vibration of the arm enables these applicators to conform to and work out every portion of the body just as though each applicator Was altered to conform to these changes in body contour. This permits a thorough and complete manipulating and messaging treatment and restores and stimulates circulation throughout the body. It may be desirable to use a central ball 3 of greater diameter than the diameter of the two outer balls. In this manner the patient is able to obtain a relatively greater compression of the central ball, which is so necessary in massaging the central part of the foot. In doing this the applicator on either side are not affected in the least and perform their usual function. On the other hand in some special cases, it may be desirable to employ a central ball 3 of lesser diameter than the two outer balls, in which case the pressure applied to the central part of the foot may be reduced without affecting the pressure of the two outer applicators.

The use of the ball bearing eccentric has several important advantages. It minimizes friction and produces smoother manipulation, reduces objectionable noises and requires substantially less motive power.

Having thus described my invention, I claim:

1. A foot machine of the character described comprising a motor having a casing with lower portions for engagement with a supporting surface to resist relative displacement, a vibrating arm for vibration in a single plane actuated by said motor, applicator balls mounted on said arm and in substantially its plane of vibration for manipulating thetissues, and an outer housing extending upwardly and terminating below the tops of said balls for enclosing said motor casing and vibrating arm to protect them and to act as a guide for the foot to be treated.

2. A combination of the character described comprising an arm for vibration only in a single plane, a central resilient applicator ball rotatably mounted upon said arm adjacent its upper extremity, and outer balls of soft yieldable ma terial rotatably mounted on said arm on either side of said central ball, the axes of rotation of said balls lying in substantially the same plane as the plane of vibration of said arm, whereby to engage and manipulate the tissues with which they come into contact.

3. A foot machine of the character described comprising a motor casing having lower laterally projecting arms for supporting said motor, means carried by said arm for resisting relative movement thereof, an arm actuated by said motor to vibrate in a single plane, a central and outer ball mounted on said arm and having a common axis of rotation, the axis of rotation of said balls lying in substantially the same plane as the plane of vibration of said arm.

4. A foot machine of the character described comprising a frame with a motor disposed therein, said frame having a base, spaced forwardly projecting arms extending forwardly from said base for engagement with a supporting surface, an arm carried by the frame and actuated by said motor to vibrate in a single plane, central and outer balls rotatably mounted on said arm with their axes of rotation lying in substantially the plane of vibration of said arm, said central ball being less easily deformed than said outer balls.

5. A foot machine of the character described comprising a frame with a motor disposed therein, the lower end of said frame having relatively thick forwardly projecting portions for engagement with a supporting surface to prevent relative movement, an arm actuated by said motor for vibration in a single plane, a resilient central and two outer applicator balls mounted on said arm for rotation about a single axis in substantially the plane of vibration of the arm.

OSCAR T. BUFFALOVV. 

